title: Personality differences among patients with chronic aphasia predict improvement in speech-language therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Negative affectivity and neurocognitive deficits including executive dysfunction have been shown to be detrimental to rehabilitation therapies. However, research on the relationship between neuropsychological deficits and improvement in speech-language therapy (SLT) for aphasia is sparse.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationships among neurocognitive and psychological functioning and improvement in SLT following aphasia due to stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients who were ≥ 9 months post stroke and enrolled in outpatient SLT to treat aphasia participated. Using standard language assessment measures, the authors evaluated language functioning at initiation of the study and after participants completed various SLT protocols. Executive functioning, visuospatial skills, attention, and memory also were assessed to provide indices of convergent and discriminant validity. Participants' mood and affectivity were evaluated by self-report, and their functional abilities and recovery of function since stroke were assessed via caregiver report.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A multiple regression model testing the combined powers of neurocognitive and psychological variables was significant (P = .004, R2 = 0.33), with psychological and neurocognitive functioning accounting for 15% of the variance in relative language change beyond that accounted for by stroke severity and gross cognitive functioning. Negative affectivity expressed on the Positive and Negative Affectivity Scale made unique contributions to the model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improvement in SLT is substantially related to neurocognitive and psychological functioning, particularly affectivity. Assessment of these characteristics may assist in identifying patients who are likely to improve and in tailoring treatment programs to yield optimal outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Kristen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Votruba
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Rapport
authors.forename: R Douglas
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Whitman
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Langenecker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001037:Aphasia / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007808:Language Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010551:Personality; D010556:Personality Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013070:Speech Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: affectivity; depression; executive functioning; speech-language therapy